Cable guide

ABSTRACT

A guide for a moving cable or rope, e.g., on a ski tow, includes a generally elliptical track for an endless belt provided with roller pairs riding that track, or for a chain of separate or loosely interconnected roller-supported bodies. The axes of each roller pair may include an obtuse angle with each other, the track being then split into two halves formed with respective rails which are correspondingly inclined and whose mutual distance may be changed to vary the tension of the belt or chain of interconnected bodies.

United States Patent [1 1 Fuchs CABLE GUIDE [75] Inventor: Franz Fuchs,lmmenstadt/Allgau,

Germany [73] Assignee: Dr. Werner Rohrs KG,

Sonthofen/Allgau, Germany 22 Filed: Feb. 23, 1972 21 App]. No.: 228,501

[52] US. Cl. 254/190 [51] Int. Cl B66d l/36 [58] Field of Search254/190, 191, 192, 193, 254/194; 198/203 [5 6] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 386,826 7/1888 Howard 254/190R 802,047 10/1905 Krell198/203 1,817,970 8/1931 Da Costa .L 198/203 X [451 Apr. 16, 1974 5/1932Naylor 198/203 X 5/1962 Burnett et al 198/203 Primary Examiner-RichardE. Aegerter Assistant ExaminerH. S. Lane Attorney, Agent, or Firm-KarlF. Ross; Herbert Dubno [57] ABSTRACT A guide for a moving cable or rope,e.g., on a ski tow, includes a generally elliptical track for an endlessbelt provided with roller pairs riding that track, or for a chain ofseparate or loosely interconnected rollersupported bodies. The axes ofeach roller pair may include an obtuse angle with each other, the trackbeing then split into two halves formed with respective rails which arecorrespondingly inclined and whose mutual distance may be changed tovary the tension of the belt or chain of interconnected bodies.

7 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures CABLE GUIDE My present invention relates toa guide structure. e.g., as used in ski tows, designed to support amoving cable or rope.

conventionally a cable of this type is guided over rol lers disposed atspaced-apart locations along its path. A disadvantage of sucharrangements is that the weight of the cable is concentrated at a fewpoints and exerts a high bearing pressure upon the supporting rollers.

It has already been proposed to remedy this inconvenience by replacingthe rollers with endless chains mounted on blocks or belts led aroundrollers in generally elliptical vertical loops; see, for example, SwissPat. No. 444,213, French Pat. No. 1,423,056 and .German Pat. Nos.840,850 and 912,225. These earlier proposals, however, solve the problemonly partially. Thus, the chain-supporting slide blocks may freeze totheir guide surface under the climatic conditions in which such cablesare frequently used, whereas the belts are subjected to severefrictional stress at their points of contact with the rollers and tendto deteriorate rapidly. These solutions, therefore, have not foundpractical application as far as I am aware.

The general object of my present invention is to provide an improvedcable guide for the purpose set forth which avoids the above-discusseddrawbacks and operates satisfactorily, even in inclement weather, withvirtually no maintenance.

This object is realized, pursuant to the present invention. by theprovision of an endless track of generally elliptical shape, lying in asubstantially vertical plane, in combination with endless cable-supportmeans looped about the track and provided with a multiplicity of rollersriding thereon.

The cable-support means may be a continuous flexible band. such. as abelt or a chain composed of rollerequipped links. or may be constitutedby an array of separate bodies in the form of miniature carriages eachpreferably having two pairs of rollers. Especially in the former case,my invention also aims at providing means for facilitating theadjustment of the tension of the endless bandi for this purpose I preferto split the track mounting into two axially separated halves carryingtwo relatively inclined rails for the support of roller pairs whose axesinclude an obtuse angle with each other, the rollers being either toedin or toed out in the radial direction so that a change in the axialspacing of the rails increases or decreases the length of their path.Thus, the band may be tensioned by relatively displacing the twomounting halves in the proper sense, depending on the direction ofconvergence of the roller planes; the toeing of the rollers also helpscenter the cable support on its track, aside from the possibility oftension adjustment, so as to be useful even in the case of disconnectedsupporting carriages in which tension is not a factor.

In order to insure the engagement of individual carriages with thetrack, they may be provided with extra rollers between the main railsbearing upon a cantileveredancillary rail from within or engaging acommon endless belt wound around them.

The above and other features of my invention will be described in detailhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side-elevational view (partly in section) of a cable guideaccording to the invention, together with part of a cable supportedthereby;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2., showing a modification;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation, drawn to a larger scale, ofthe guide structure of FIGS. 1 and 2;

. ferent embodiment;

FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VIIIB VIIIB ofFIG. 8A;

FIG. 9A is a view similar to FIG. 4 but relating to the embodiment ofFIGS. 8A and 88;

FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IXB IXB of FIG.9A;

FIG. 10A is a further view similar to FIG. 1 but relating to amodification of the embodiment of FIG. 8A;

FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XB XB of FIG.10A;

FIG. 11A is a view like FIG. 9A but relating to the modification of FIG.10A; and

FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XIB XIB of FIG.11A.

Reference will first be made to FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5 in which I haveshown part of a cable 6 resting on a continuous band 4 of generallyelliptical configuration, specifically a belt of rubber or otherelastomeric material with internal reinforcements 15 such as glassfibers. The inner periphery of this belt is provided with longitudinallyspaced recesses 5 receiving trapezoidal blocks 2 which serve as holdingmembers for respective roller pairs 3a and 35 disposed on opposite sidesof the plane of the belt. These rollers ride on respective rails la, lbformed by axially spaced halves of a mounting l defin' ing an ellipticalguide track for the belt 4; mounting l is supported on a post, notillustrated, with the aid of a horizontal rod 9 traversing a sleeve 8which is externally threaded at 13; Sleeve 8 is rigid with the mountinghalf or cheek forming the rail 10 and slidably supports the oppositemounting half. A nut 10 threaded onto the sleeve 8 compresses a coilspring 11 between an end flange thereof and a ring 12 which is welded orsoldered to the mounting half forming the rail lb. The two cheeks areheld against relative rotation by pins 7 secured to one of these checksand passing freely through the other cheek.

The roller-engaging surfaces of rails la and lb are inclined so as todiverge radially outwardly, their generatrices thus including an obtuseangle with inwardly pointed vertex corresponding to the angle includedby the axes of rollers 3a and 3b journaled on block 2. Spring 11 loadsthe two mounting halves in a sense tending to draw them toward eachother, such a movement lengthening the path to be traveled by eachroller around the track. Thus. the spring holds the belt 4 taut with atension which can be adjusted by loosening or tightening the nut 10.

In the modification of FIG. 3 the rollerengaging surfaces of rails Iaand lb converge radially outwardly so that tension upon the belt 4 isintensified by increasing the axial separation of these rails. Amodified nut 10' on sleeve 8 is held by a split ring 14 against axialdisplacement relative to ring 12 whereby the spacing of rails la and lbcan be positively adjusted by rotation of the nut. Naturally, a coilspring similar to spring 11 of FIG. 2 could be inserted between the twomounting halves (with omission of nut 10') if automatic tensioning weredesired, as in the system of FIG. 2.

In FIGS. 6A and 6B a metallic frame 18 serves as a holder for two pairsof rollers 3a, 3b having the same orientation as in FIGS. 2 and theframe and the two roller pairs constitute a carriage, a multiplicity ofsuch carriages being imbedded in a common belt 4 provided withreinforcing filaments 15' in an intermediate zone adjoining theseframes. Belt 4' is transversely indented, between carriages, along itsouter periphery to a depth less than the spacing of the filaments 15from that periphery, as indicated at 19.

In FIGS. 7A and 78 each roller pair has an individual frame 16 receivedin an inner peripheral recess ofa belt 4" generally similar to belt 4 ofFIGS. 4 and 5. Again, the rollers are tilted so that their planesdiverge outwardly, as in FIG. 68, yet it will be evident that in bothcases the inverted position of FIG. 3 could be adopted. In either case,of course, the spacing of the juxtaposed rails 1a and lb may be adjustedby fastener means of the type described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3,with or without the assistance of a loading spring automaticallymaintaining the tension of the belt.

The system of FIGS. 8A, 8B, 9A and 9B comprises a set of carriages 26each similar to those of FIGS. 6A and 68, with metal (e.g., steel)frames 20 carrying two pairs of rollers 30, 3b and elastomeric bodies 21enveloping these frames. Rollers 3a and 3b are here coaxially mounted onshafts 23 and ride on rails 1a" and lb" whose surfaces are perpendicularto the vertical plane of the cable support constituted by the carriages.The left-hand half of track mounting l" (as viewed in FIGS. 88 and 9B)has a branch forming a cantilevered ancillary rail 25 midway between thetwo spacedly juxtaposed rails la" and lb"; an arm 22 extends radiallyinwardly from the frame 20 of each carriage and has journaled thereon acentral roller 24 bearing from within upon the ancillary rail 25. Thus,each carriage 26 is positively guided along its elliptical path, therail 25 supplying the radially inwardly directed restraining force(furnished in the preceding embodiments by the belt 4 or 4') required tohold the rollers in contact with the peripheral track surface defined bythe rails.

The system of FIGS. A, 10B, 11A and 11B is generally similar to thatjust described. except that the frame 20' of carriage 26 lacks the arm22 but is provided instead with a yoke 22' for the support of a centralroller 28 journaled on a shaft 29. An endless belt 27, provided withinternal reinforcements embraces the central rollers 28 of all thecarriages 26' under an elastic tension sufficient to hold the rollers 3aand 3b engaged with rails 10" and lb.

In the arrangement described with reference to FIGS. 8A 118, the twohalves or cheeks of the rail mounting I" are fixedly interconnected by asleeve 8" on a rod 9". To facilitate insertion or removal of the belt,these cheeks are made of elastically deformable sheet metal and one ofthem (specifically the one forming the rail lb") is provided with anouter flange 10 adapted to be flexed outwardly.

As best seen in FIGS.,5, 6B, 7B, 9B and 11B, the supporting elements 4,4', 4, 26, 26' may be formed with shallow grooves accommodating thecable 6.

I claim: I

l. A guide for a moving cable, comprising:

a mounting structure including a pair of juxtaposed rails forminggenerally elliptical closed loops in a pair of parallel vertical planes;

an endless belt disposed in a vertical plane paralleling those of saidrails, said belt having a convex cablesupporting outer peripheralsurface; and

a multiplicity of closely spaced bodies carried along the innerperiphery of said belt, each of said bodies being provided with at leastone pair of rollers respectively engaging said rails and held in contacttherewith by said belt.

2. A guide as defined in claim 1 wherein said belt is provided along itsinner periphery with longitudinally spaced recesses receiving saidbodies.

3. A guide as defined in claim 13 wherein the axes of each roller pairinclude an obtuse angle with each other, said rails beingcorrespondingly inclined with reference to their vertical planes, saidmounting structure being split into two axially separated halvesrespectively carrying said rails, further comprising adjustablefastening means interconnecting said halves for enabling a change intheir separation.

4. A guide as defined in claim 3 wherein said fastening means includesspring means axially loading said halves in a belt-tensioning sense.

5. A guide as defined in claim 1 wherein said belt is transverselyindented at its outer periphery between successive groups of rollerpairs.

6. A guide for a moving cable, comprising:

a mounting structure including a pair of juxtaposed rails forming closedloops in a pair of parallel vertical planes;

a continuous ancillary rail cantilevered on said mounting structurebetween said juxtaposed rails in a vertical plane paralleling those ofthe latter;

a multiplicity of carriages each provided with a multiplicity of pairsof rollers respectively engaging said juxtaposed rails, each of saidcarriages being further provided with an arm extending past saidancillary rail and a further roller on said arm engaging said ancillaryrail from within wherby said pairs of rollers are held in contact withsaid juxtaposed rails, said rails jointly defining a generallyelliptical track with an upwardly convex surface along which saidcarriages form a cable-supporting chain.

7. A guide as defined in claim 6 wherein each of said carriages isprovided with a central roller positioned substantially midway betweensaid rails, said member being an endless belt embracing the centralrollers of all said carriages.

1. A guide for a moving cable, comprising: a mounting structureincluding a pair of juxtaposed rails forming generally elliptical closedloops in a pair of parallel vertical planes; an endless belt disposed ina vertical plane paralleling those of said rails, said belt having aconvex cable-supporting outer peripheral surface; and a multiplicity ofclosely spaced bodies carried along the inner periphery of said belt,each of said bodies being provided with at least one pair of rollersrespectively engaging said rails and held in contact therewith by saidbelt.
 2. A guide as defined in claim 1 wherein said belt is providedalong its inner periphery with longitudinally spaced recesses receivingsaid bodies.
 3. A guide as defined in claim 13 wherein the axes of eachroller pair include an obtuse angle with each other, said rails beingcorrespondingly inclined with reference to their vertical planes, saidmounting structure being split into two axially separated halvesrespectively carrying said rails, further comprising adjustablefastening means interconnecting said halves for enabling a change intheir separation.
 4. A guide as defined in claim 3 wherein saidfastening means includes spring means axially loading said halves in abelt-tensioning sense.
 5. A guide as defined in claim 1 wherein saidbelt is transversely indented at its outer periphery between successivegroups of roller pairs.
 6. A guide for a moving cable, comprising: amounting structure including a pair of juxtaposed rails forming closedloops in a pair of parallel vertical planes; a continuous ancillary railcantilevered on said mounting structure between said juxtaposed rails ina vertical plane paralleling those of the latter; a multiplicity ofcarriages each provided with a multiplicity of pairs of rollersrespectively engaging said juxtaposed rails, each of said carriagesbeing further provided with an arm extending past said ancillary railand a further roller on said arm engaging said ancillary rail fromwithin wherby said pairs of rollers are held in contact with saidjuxtaposed rails, said rails jointly defining a generally ellipticaltrack with an upwardly convex surface along which said carriages form acable-supporting chain.
 7. A guide as defined in claim 6 wherein each ofsaid carriages is provided with a central roller positionedsubstantially midway between said rails, said member being an endlessbelt embracing the central rollers of all said carriages.